


Justice for Rumple

by CJ_Addams



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Mental Health Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29478594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CJ_Addams/pseuds/CJ_Addams
Summary: I'm going to go off on something that bugs me about Gold's character arc in S3B-S6.Please bear with me.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Justice for Rumple

Why did they never address Golds, or anyone's for that matter, mental health?

I know Emma got some time on Archie's couch but why did no one else?

In my personal opinion, Gold has a multitude of issues going through his head that Adam and Eddie never addressed and just expected him to move past. First off, it is relatively accepted in the fandom that Milah was a terrible and possibly abusive spouse and there there was the whole Cora fiasco with her leaving him and then trying to kill him. Like what? No wonder he struggles with relationships, 2/3 of the serious partners he had were no good for him or to him!

Second of all, hes a god damn war veteran. AGAINST OGRES, did you see the way the ogres were designed? Those buggers are terrifying, so to face them three times (as a man, to save Bae, to save Belle) cannot be easy even for an immortal being.

Then there is the parent issues. He is the son of Peter Pan and the Black fairy. They steal, hurt and possibly murder children! Imagine being the child of a serial killer or serial abuser of a vulnerable population but you can't tell or confide in anyone and see how well adjusted you are.

Also, he was a prisoner of war!!! Which is pretty well accepted to have some torture mixed in, and even it wasn't he still watched his son die in front of him and be powerless to stop it. He felt the dirt be shovelled on him as it was thrown on to Neal's coffin. I'm no parent but that level of pain and sorrow is unimaginable.

Then there is the Darkness that he had tied to his soul. It pushed him to do horrible acts and for centuries it appears he kept it under a very solid hold, by himself, with no support, and several people hunting him trying to end his life. Yes, he did kill people and yes, he was an evil dark one at times but compared to the rampage WRumplestiltskin caused the damage could have been much worse.

After the Zelena incident, did he go a bit crazy and try to kill Hook, destroy the town and vaporise(?) the fairies? Yes, but can you honestly blame him? First off, Tink and Nova were the only decent ones, the rest, Blue especially were so overly self-righteous that they did need to be knocked down a couple pegs. And secondly, Rumple said it himself he's not super brave all of the time and after centuries of being slave to the dagger and that slavery leading to his son's death can you honestly judge him for looking for an escape?

I don't have much else to say, I've just been seeing a fair number and Rumple memorials and rants about plot points that made other writers angry, I just wanted to get this off my chest.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I know he did some shitty things and the stuff I said does not excuse that, I just think its a piece of the puzzle that was never dealt with, and then it just sort of went away.


End file.
